


How To Propose To Amy Santiago

by jormaperalta



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: F/M, This is basically pure fluff, just jake being a nerd about proposing to Amy, plus some Doug Judy for Phil and Em, proposal fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-27 21:20:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8417143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jormaperalta/pseuds/jormaperalta
Summary: Jake Peralta’s no-fail how-to guide on how to propose to the love of your life in 13 easy steps.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this like asap because I could not get the idea out of my head. I hope you enjoy!

First Step: Find a Hype Man

_You can’t get anything done without the unconditional support of one of your best friends, especially the most Important Thing in your Life Ever. Talk to them._

 

Jake Peralta, amazing Detective Slash Genius, knocks on the door once. No response.

Twice. No response.

Shave-and-a-haircut. No response.

Then just straight-up pounding. They’re bound to hear him eventually.

The door swings open. “Jake, I love you, but it’s after 10 and it is _very_ important that Nikolaj develop a sleep schedule that he adheres to-”

“I’m going to ask Amy to marry me,” Jake says all in one breath. He can’t keep the secret any longer. He needs to tell someone.

Charles lets out a twenty-second-long squee that might pierce Jake’s eardrums. He clasps his hands together, in a way a Disney princess would before they break into song. “Oh this is so beautiful. Jake, you’re going to marry Amy Santiago-”

Even though she’s most definitely not anywhere in the vicinity, Jake makes “bah-bah-bah stop” sounds until Charles quiets down. “I haven’t even asked her yet, I don’t even have a ring, I just-” Finding the words is so hard for a moment, but then they just come to him. “I just want to marry her, _be_ with her. Florida was basically hell, and I don’t want to waste anymore time- Charles, are you crying?”

“I can’t help it, that was so beautiful,” Charles wipes his face with his shirt.

“You’re good, buddy,” Jake grabs his shoulder. “I just needed to tell someone, and you’re my best friend-”

“Aw-”

“You knew this,” Jake reminds him. “I- can we sit? I just need to-” He flails his hands slightly.

Luckily, Charles completely understands. Or at least pretends to. “Yeah, c’mon, sit. Is it okay if we keep it down? Nikolaj is asleep, and his sleep schedule-”

“Understood,” Jake says in a hushed voice and they move to the sofa. “I just- is this a good idea?” He asks Charles. Charles’s mouth opens, but Jake keeps talking. “Like, I mean we love each other so much but do we love each other a _lot_? Like enough for a wedding? Like a marriage? Like how does marriage work? Is it like how it is on TV, or is it the movies? What’s the difference? Is there a difference? What is love? Charles, I think-”

“Jake, you’re shouting,” Charles tries to calm him down but then a door opens and Jake panics even more and flies over the sofa, hiding from whatever it is.

“Dad?” Nikolaj’s voice appears from the other side of the sofa. Jake winces, he ruined Nikolaj’s sleep schedule.

He peeks over the top of the couch, “Sorry for waking you, buddy-”

“It’s okay,” Nikolaj says, rubbing his eyes sleepily. “I heard ‘marriage,’ are you and Mommy getting married?” He asks Charles.

“Someday,” Charles says. “But we were actually talking about Jake and Amy-”

“Jake and Amy?!” Nikolaj says, completely perked up and awake now. “Oh you guys are my favorite story!”

Why the hell is Jake blushing? “Oh, um, thanks-” This is so weird but oddly kind of feels nice? What is happening?

“Can I be the ring bearer?” Nikolaj asks, bouncing up and down on his heels.

“I- Well, I haven’t asked her to marry me yet.”

“Why not? Don’t you love her?”

And it suddenly becomes simple.

 

Second Step: Do your Research

_This is Amy Santiago we’re talking about. She does shit RIGHT. Take a lesson from her and do some research._

 

Jake learns his lesson from visiting Charles past children’s bedtimes and goes to his next stop in the morning, after working on his Proposal Binder all night in Charles’s living room since he was afraid of Amy finding it. Plus, the Boyle-Mirren-Carter clan was ecstatic to have their living room involved in the planning for the proposal.

But at 6 sharp, after a three-hour nap, Jake left their place to go find Terry Jeffords, the most Married Person he knows.

He knocks on the door, and Terry opens, donning workout gear. “It’s 6:15 in the morning, Peralta. If it’s for a case, it can wait ‘til after my workout. Terry needs to keep his schedule tight like his abs.”

“It’s personal,” Jake says quickly. “But I understand if you’d rather-”

Terry holds up a hand and Jake stops talking. Terry gives him a onceover, then says, “Tagalong with me. You can explain why we’re working out.”

Too afraid to talk for the entire ride, they make small talk about the Nets until they’re actually in the gym and Terry is starting with weights that would probably literally kill Jake if he were to try.

“So what’s wrong? Did you and Amy have a fight?”

“What? No. No. No. What makes you think that?” Jake asks, very put off by the idea.

“Jake, you looks tired as hell and you’re wearing the clothes you wore yesterday. You look rough, dude,” Terry says, barely out of breath as he pumps iron like Jake shoves gummy bears in his mouth.

“No, we didn’t have a fight, I just-” Jake closes his eyes then forces the words out, “I want to ask her to marry me.”

“Oh Jesus!” Terry shouts, and Jake’s eyes fly open to see Terry struggling to place the weight-bar-thing down safely. “Give a man some warning.” He stretches his arms, then looks at Jake. “Are you serious?”

Jake nods.

Terry smiles and stands and pulls him into a tight hug. “I’m thrilled for you, Peralta. I’ve always rooted for you crazy kids.”

“Thanks, Jeffords,” Jake smiles, feeling all fuzzy instead of nervous for the first time since the idea really came to him as an _actual_ possibility. “I had a favor to ask you, actually,” He says, rubbing at the back of his neck when they pull away from each other.

“Anything, what can I do?”

“How did you propose to Sharon? Like how did you know it was a good idea?” Jake asks.

Terry releases a long breath slowly. “Man, it feels like forever since that moment.” He sits down at the bench. Jake sits beside him.

He continues, “Sharon and I were just living together, and we had talked about marriage and stuff, but it always seemed like a future thing. But then, one day, my partner at the time almost got shot. She was fine, and I was fine, but it woke me up. We live in a crazy world, Jake. And I didn’t want to waste another second without her. So, the next day, no ring or nothing, I asked her to marry me at the park we now take our babies to. I just couldn’t hold it in anymore. While I wouldn’t change anything, sometimes I think about what would have happened if I had made it more romantic,” He goes back to doing bicep curls, _god_ he is so strong. “But Sharon and I are solid, and so are you and Amy. I’m sure whatever you do, she’ll say yes to.”

Jake exhales and gets up to pace a bit. “Thanks, man, I just- you won’t tell Ames, right?”

Terry scoffs like Jake’s being an idiot. “Please. Terry knows how to keep a secret.”

“Okay, I should go home and change and stuff before work.”

“Hey, you can always do a couple reps with me,” Terry offers.

Jake laughs, “Oh Terry” and then leaves the gym.

Then he remembers that Terry gave him a ride, so he goes back in to wait out Terry’s workout.

 

Third Step: Get Parents’ Blessing

_Feminism is important, but so are traditions and family. All three of those things are very important to Amy Santiago. Talk to your parents and her parents and probably her zillions brothers to see if this is actually a good idea. Well, you might still propose even if you don’t get their blessing, but it’ll be a bummer without it._

 

Jake calls his mom first, of all the people he could call. hoping she’ll be supportive and it’ll be a positive way to start. She is.

Karen cries on the phone and tells him how proud she is of him for maturing over these past years and that she loves Amy and can’t wait to officially invite her into the family.

He totally doesn’t cry.

+

Jake tells Amy he’s going out with Charles, and makes Charles promise to keep the secret, and drives to Jersey even though Jersey is bad. Not as bad as Florida, but not the best place. It’s no New York.

He’s met Amy’s parents like five times at this point. He was _great_ at charming them and now they’re genuinely friendly with each other. They like him, and they like him and Amy together, but, so far, just as _dating_. He’s not sure about how they’ll feel about this new stage.

He lets Adriana fix him up in the living room and futz with his jacket and he talks to Francisco about the Nets. Then he drops the news and that he’d love their support.

The silence is only seven seconds long (he counts because he’s not sure what else to do) and suddenly Adriana bursts into tears and she’s flying across the room to hug him tight and to say that she’s been waiting for this day and that she knew it was coming and he hugs her close because hearing her words make him feel like he can fly.

But then he realizes Francisco hasn’t said a word, and he thinks Adriana realizes at the same time, because they both pull apart from each other and look over at him.

He stands, so Jake stands too, after making sure that Adriana is standing upright. Francisco is almost half a foot taller than him, and he feels properly intimidated in this new silence.

(He’s too afraid to count during this silence.)

But then he clasps Jake on the shoulder. “Welcome to the family, son. I know you’ll treat our daughter right.” And with that, he’s pulling him into a hug.

This went so much better than expected.

+

Jake nervously group texts Amy’s brothers to arrange a time for a group phone call, not sure he has the time or money to fly around the entire country (and even Canada) to tell them individually in person.

It takes way longer to actually decide a time for him than for him to actually spit out the news while on the phone.

But when he does...

“Jesus Christ, _finally_ , Peralta!” “Dammit, I lost the bet! I said she was gonna do it first.” “I knew it!” and suddenly they’re all talking over each other and Jake’s laughing because it’s better than crying and they keep asking questions all over each other, asking when he’s gonna do it and if they can come and that, you know, they definitely needed another brother.

He’s _not_ crying.

+

Jake considers calling his dad. But that seems like too much.

He considers maybe a Snapchat but then that seems too millennial. He is not that young. Not anymore.

So he drafts a text. “I’m thinking about proposing to Amy. Do you have any advice?”

But he deletes it all before even really considering sending it.

He decides he doesn’t really want his advice.

+

Jake nervously paces outside the lavish front door when it swings open.

“Peralta, you are at my personal residence. Is there a squad emergency?” Captain Holt says, wearing his RJH pajamas and slippers.

Slippers.

“No emergency, I just-” Jake takes a deep breath. Rosa taught him the importance of deep breathing at the Academy. “I need your advice.”

“Please come in,” Holt swings the door wide open and Jake toes off his shoes and they go to the living room.

If he looks closely, he can still see a faint sharpie outline of a “kase” from their measles kick on the window.

“I, um, I’ll try to be quick, but I’m thinking about asking Amy to marry me,” Jake gets out. The words are still hard to spit out even though he’s done it like five times this week.

Holt stares at him. “And you’re wondering if I could give you tips on the subsequent paperwork you will have to fill out?”

“No, actually, well- probably in the future, right now I’m here to ask you...” He swallows. “I’m here to ask for your blessing, I-I guess.”

Holt ever so slightly raises an eyebrow. “I am neither your parent, or Amy’s. What is your reasoning for that?” The question isn’t rude or angry, it’s just curious. But it doesn’t make the words any easier to spit out.

“I know but- you’re so important to Amy, and to me. And having your blessing would mean a lot to me,” Jake says, wringing his hands together and staring at them, trapped in their movement. Jesus.

Holt says nothing for a moment, but then gets up and moves to sit next to Jake.

“Peralta- Jake. I cannot tell you how much this means to me,” Raymond says, and Jake looks up at his captain, his idol, his friend through the hellfire that is Florida and the NYPD. “It has been an honor to watch you and Amy mature and find something in each other these past four years. I give you both my complete and total blessing, and I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.”  
There’s no way to hide it.

Jake is crying.

“I’m allergic to Cheddar,” Jake tries to cover.

“I know, Jake,” Ray says, patting Jake’s knee. “I know.”

 

Fourth Step: Find a Ring

_Amy is the most precious, beautiful person in the universe. It is only fitting that her ring is the mineral equivalent. Are rings minerals, or are they metals? You know what, doesn’t matter._

 

Thank god that whole crying thing is over, right?

Well, probably. Knowing Charles, there will be tears.

Jake moves on to the fun part. This should be fun right?

Too afraid to go alone, he drags Gina along with him because she knows jewelry and she’s the best damn haggler in New York. She once got a bracelet for half price at _Tiffany’s_.

Or so she says.

“I can’t believe you’re going to spend the rest of your life with a grammar nerd,” Gina says for the billionth time as they enter the Gem of Brooklyn, a place that apparently has good jewelry without being too pricey.

“She hasn’t said yes yet,” Jake says. He feels like this is important to note and constantly reminds all the people he’s involved in this potentially disastrous plan.

“You two are so heart eyes emoji with each other, this will all go 100 emoji,” Gina says. “And I don’t say that lightly.”

“I know, Linetti,” He nudges her with his elbow, hopefully in a way that says _I appreciate you and the fact you’re here_ without actually having to say it.

She kicks his ankle, which he takes to mean _wow you’re such a sap and such an adult now, it’s gross_.

It is truly gross.

“What’s your budget?” Gina asks.

“Five dollars max.”

She stares at him.

He sighs, “I’m capping it at 2k, because hopefully we’re gonna have kids and get a house-”

“I don’t recall asking,” Gina says and moves to an area in the store. “What kind of cut? Oval? Marquise? Cusion? Asscher?”

Jake snickers, “ _Ass_ cher.”

“Are you going to waste my time?”

“Probably.”

Gina huffs at him, but takes him through the different sizing and cuts and the types of metal. They look at dozens of rings, but if they’re in the right price range then they have garnets on them which Gina calls “a ruby that has gone bad” and anything “transcendent, well by Santiago Standards” is way out of his price range.

Suddenly, five hours have gone by and Gina needs to go to her new SpinZumba class so they don’t get a ring.

Which is fine.

Totally.

Fine.

 

Fifth Step: Google How to Propose

_The internet has all the answers._

 

Jake finds the WikiHow article decent, but a bit condescending. And also, he feels like a bit of an idiot that he has to Google how to do something as important yet seemingly simple as this.

He closes the browser violently.

Fuck this.

 

Sixth Step: Fuck that, go ask someone smart who you can trust

 _The internet is pointless. You have a resource_ better _than the internet. Go ask someone smarter than you who probably knows how to kill with an engagement because that would just be so cool._

 

“Can I buy you a drink?” Jake says, practically cornering Rosa after their shift.

She looks at him with that stare of hers that is the non-verbal and non-physical equivalent of having a knife held to your throat to press you for information. “Why?”

“I- I need your help with something.”

There must be something weird or odd about the way he said it, because she just nods and even lets him ride her motorcycle to Shaw’s even though it’s only five blocks away.

After he holds up to his promise and buys her a beer, she downs it in six seconds and says, “So why were you being all weird?”

“I’m thinking about asking Amy to marry me,” There’s something oddly relaxing about the fact she isn’t fazed or emotional at all at the news. “And I’m just not sure how to do it.”

“Just ask her.”

“C’mon, Diaz, you know me!” She quirks an eyebrow but he just continues. “I am theatric and exquisite and a _showman_. I can’t just _ask_ her to marry me, it has to be big!”

“Why are you even asking me?” She asks, gesturing for another glass. “Adrian and I got engaged in an alley. I’m guessing that might not be as ‘ _exquisite_ ’ by your standards.”

“This is Amy we’re talking about, she’d murder me and hide the body if I propose to her somewhere that gross,” Jake says and Rosa nods. “I’m asking- I’m asking because I trust you. And the three of us are friends. Or as close as friends as we can be by your standards,” He tries to relent a bit so she doesn’t get uncomfortable. This time, when she drinks her beer, she’s slow about it. “You’re smart as hell, and I’d trust your gut in most situations and you were so helpful with our sixth-month anniversary, so I’m trusting it here.”

She says nothing for a moment, just sips beer while he shuffles his in his hands. “Jake, this isn’t normally my thing,” She says. He goes to reassure her but one look, and he stops himself before he starts. “But I think I’d go with _your_ gut on this before I went with this. You overthought the sixth-month thing, and that caused you to be an idiot. Don’t be an idiot, and trust your own gut. It’s what makes you a great cop, and it’s what makes you a great boyfriend. You know Amy better than anyone. Trust that.”

They both say nothing for a while. Just staring at the line of alcohol behind the bar counter.

“Jesus, are you crying?”

“No, _you’re_ crying, shut up.”

 

Seventh Step: Casually Bring Up Marriage to Amy

 _You are so totes the epitome of chill, so you can totally pull this off_.

 

Jake and Amy are binge-watching Netflix together, one of those few nights they both have off.

“Hey,” He says when the screen says _The next episode will start in 15 14 13..._ seconds. “What if we were to get married?”

She freezes and looks at him with her wide, beautiful brown eyes.

And he realizes there were probably better ways to phrase that.

They’ve talked about marriage before. But that was before Florida. After Florida, it was focusing on the move in. But it’s been months since Jake got back and it’s been months since they deeply talked about marriage farther from casual.

There’s silence, but then the TV theme blares from their screen, so they both scramble for the remote to pause it.

Then it’s just silence again.

“Were there better ways I could have put that?” Jake asks, figuring it can’t hurt to check.

Surprisingly she laughs. “Yeah probably,” She shrugs one shoulder. “But that was very _you_ , so I can let it slide.”

“Good,” He says, and he starts drumming out a beat on her thigh that’s under his hand. “We haven’t talked about it in a bit.”

“Yeah, we haven’t,” Amy agrees, “But I’ll say that I still feel favorable to the idea.”

He feels something blossom warm in his chest. “Me too.”

“We’d probably have to do something big,” Amy says. “My mom would want to invite my entire family.”

“I don’t have that much family, but my mom would want to invite the entire Jewish population of Brooklyn, and probably Manhattan. Possibly the entire state.”

“And we’d invite the whole squad,” Amy says.

“Definitely.”

“I think Rosa would be a good maid of honor.”

“Charles would probably do a trial by combat if it meant he could be my best man.”

Amy nudges him gently with her sock-covered foot. “Buffet or plated?”

“Buffet. But Charles is not allowed anywhere near the menu.”

“Agreed.”

“The cake should be chocolate.”

“False. The cake should be vanilla.”

“You’re false. Chocolate is the best flavor.”

“But vanilla is so versatile!”

“I won’t have this argument with you again.”

“Maybe marble, as a compromise.”

“Maybe marble,” Jake says and takes her left hand in his. Absently, his thumb runs over where her ring finger meets her knuckle. “Did we just get engaged?” He asks, feeling the urge to check.

She snorts slightly, the sound something he would’ve made his text tone if he could. “Not yet, Peralta.” And with that, she presses play.

 

Eighth Step: Try for A Ring Again

_The ring is a vital thing, at least according to your friend Gina. So you try again. This time, you don’t invite your friend Gina. You need someone who doesn’t have tapestries of sparkly wolves all over their apartment._

 

After that talk with Amy, Jake is itching to find the perfect ring, even more so than before. Amy Santiago is a perfect, celestial being, and she deserves the perfect, celestial ring.

Or, so he says to Rosa.

“If you say ‘celestial’ again, I won’t help you anymore,” Rosa says as she and him walk into the Kay jewelers. A bit pricey, but maybe he’ll have better luck.

“Fine, ruin my fun,” He says, not really offended or even really believing her threat. But on the off chance she’s not joking, he drops the word. “I just- there are _so many_ kinds of rings and metals and gems and cuts-”

“Ugh, stop,” She holds out a hand briefly as a stop sign before shoving it back into her leather jacket. One quick glance reveals this is the formal one, without any blood on it. “Just... this kind of stuff is instinct, man. Look for a ring that says Amy.”

“Um, rings can’t talk Rosa.”

“Jesus Christ.”

“I learned that in one of the science clases.”

“Stop.”

“Probably biomistry.”

“Good luck, Peralta.” She goes to leave.

Knowing better than to grab her wrist or touch her at all, he pleads, “No stay, I’m just a lovesick idiot who needs help.”

She turns back around and now has a slight smirk on her face. “How is that different from usual?”

Together, they go through dozens of dozens of rings, so many that they all start to look the same. Can you go ring-blind?

 _Everytime_ he holds out a ring to get her opinion she says either they’re either “dumb” “ridiculous  or “ugly as shit.”

“Do you see a good ring?” He finally snaps at her after the fifty-second ring.  

“No. Let’s leave this dump and try somewhere else.”

“Fine, but I’m not going with you,” Jake says as they leave, to the apparent relief of the retail workers.

“Good.”

They fistbump, and head to the food court’s Panda Express.

 

Ninth Step: Get Advice (Part Million and Five)

_Go to the wisest man you know and ask for help. That usually works for you._

 

Once again, Jake finds himself at Captain Holt’s house. This time, he has the common courtesy to knock on the door.

He sits in the parlor with Holt as he pets Cheddar like a Bond villain would. “What can I help you with, Jacob?”

“I can’t find a ring for Amy,” Jake says, slouching in the chair. Partly because it’s very soft, but mostly because he’s distraught. “Everyone keeps telling me to go with my instinct on this, but my instinct is being stupid. So I figured, since you’re basically my conscience, you’re the next best thing.”

“I suppose that I should take that as flattering, as I can assume you intend as so.” Jake just simply nods. Ray continues, “Jacob, other people can’t tell you which ring to pick for Amy. That is not how it works.”

“Why not?” Jake pouts. “I had no idea _this_ was gonna be the hardest part!”

Holt shrugs, somehow making the gesture elegant.

Needing something, Jake pries, “If you don’t mind me asking, sir, how did you pick out Kevin’s ring before you proposed?”

“We did not get rings during our proposal, incidentally,” Ray says. “We got engaged in the late 90s, which to remind you, was over a decade before it was legal in New York. As an interracial gay couple, we decided rings did not suit us, since we figured it best to not draw needless attention”

“So what did you do?” Jake asks, straightening up a bit.

“We just knew our love was enough of a symbol for us,” Ray says. “We did end up getting rings, but not until we were legally able to wed.”

“What did you do then?”

“We just got simple matching bands with an engraving in the inner band,” Ray takes off his ring and hands it to Jake.

As gently as he can, Jake looks at the ring’s simple engraving in looping cursive, “Eternity.”

Jake clears his throat and hands it back to Holt, “It’s beautiful.”

Ray looks at it before slipping it back on. “Thank you, Jacob. I’m sure you’ll find the perfect ring for Amy. Just trust your instincts.”

Jake sighs. As much as he appreciates the advice, he wishes that his instinct would buck the hell up and do its job.

 

Tenth Step: Receive the Perfect yet Very Mysterious Ring in the Mail

_This is not important to every proposal process, but literally it’s confusing as hell and you don’t really get how SOMEONE could have possibly known and it is driving you NUTS._

 

Jake gets a package in the mail. It’s a small box wrapped in fun, boat-colored wrapping paper. The return address says:

Dante Thunderstone

69 Blaze St

Douglas, USA 42069

And he gets a bad feeling before he even opens it.

He takes it down to the station to make sure there are no explosives or anything to be safe, and when he gets it back, he sees there’s a note with a small velvet box.

Inside the box is a ring, with a shiny, colorful gemstone. Gina’s tutoring reminds him it’s an opal, and it’s stunning, encased in a soft, shimmering gold in a round cut. It’s small enough that it won’t be too distracting or disrupting her with her gun, but beautiful. Stunning. He loses his breath for at least five seconds.

Until he remembers the note.

It reads:

_Dear Jakey P,_

_A little birdie told me you were finally asking Amy to marry you. Congrats boy!!! I’m so proud of my pasty white son. I knew this day would come. Since I can’t be there in person, considering I’m on the lam and all, I decided to send you a ring that I think would be perfect to propose with. It’s not stolen, I promise, the receipt’s under the box. I bought it with my legal money and everything. Consider this my pre-engagement present for you crazy kids._

_Hugs and kisses,_

_Horatio Velveteen_

Jake clenches the note in his hands, but his eyes drift back toward the ring.

So beautiful. So celestial.

 _No Jake_. He slaps himself.

“Ah,” He rubs at his stinging cheek.

 

Eleventh Step: Track Down Doug Judy, the Conniving Bastard

_There is always time for crime solving._

 

Jake can’t take a criminal’s ring. And he certainly can’t propose to it  He can’t. It’s amoral. Plus, he _hates_ Doug Judy. Stupid Doug Judy giving him a perfect ring that is basically Amy Santiago in ring form.

He tracks him down under all known aliases, and checks all cruise lines, even outside of work any way he can. But nothing. Doug Judy is a ghost. He has ghosted.

Late one night, Jake waits until Amy is completely asleep next to him for him to sneak out and look at the ring in the hiding spot in their living room.

He flips it over in his fingers, making sure to keep it safe even though it’s a Criminal Ring. Then he sees something glint on the inside.

Turning on the light and borrowing Amy’s glasses on the couch-side table, he looks at the writing that’s on the inside.

“Lovable and Lovable.”

God Dammit.

Why does his instinct have to work _now_ and tell him that this is the ring he wants to see on Amy forever and forever?

 

Twelfth Step: Get ready to propose to Amy Santiago

_You are about to get engaged to a planner. Plan, dammit, plan!_

 

Even though it’s a criminal ring, Jake finally feels good about the ring.

But his instinct fails him once more, because now he has no idea how he’s going to ask Amy to marry him.

Damn instinct.

He pours over an _actual_ notepad and sits with an _actual_ pencil and jots down all his ideas, even the terrible or the silly and it hits him like a brick.

He is so in love with this woman.

And he smiles like an idiot.

+

At a loss for what else to do, Jake calls up his Hype Man, who comes over so quickly he’s practically teleported and they spitball ideas.

“What if you got a hot air balloon-”

“No, Amy is claustrophobic, that might trigger a panic attack,” Jake says, but he still writes it down.

“What about using a _dog_ -”

“She’s allergic.”

“What about Shaw’s-”

“It’s dirty.”

“What about an alley, just like Rosa and Adrian-”

“Again, the dirt,” Jake sighs and rubs at his face. “Jesus, this is hard. How do you propose to the love of your life? Like, I want it to be theatrical, but not _too_ theatrical because I don’t want to stress her out and just- ugh!” He flops off the sofa and onto the floor. “Life is hard.”

Charles gasps, but Jake doesn’t get his hopes up yet. Or himself up off the floor. “What if you just did it here? This is a safe, familiar place. We can clean it up, get some fancy, beautiful candles and rose petals? It’ll be beautiful but private!”

Jake smiles, flipping over so he’s lying faceup. “Charles, you genius! That’s perfect!”

He knows how he’s going to propose to Amy Santiago.

 

Thirteenth Step: Get Shown Up at Your Own Proposal.

 _You probably should have seen this coming_.

 

Tonight’s the night.

Jake Peralta is going to ask Amy Santiago to marry him.

God, he’s nervous sweating.

It’s a chill day at work, only misdemeanors and stuff. So he knows he’s gonna be out of here early.

Rosa and Amy have the day off, so he told Rosa to take Ames to the movies and to stall her as long as possible as Gina gussied up his apartment because “bitch I know roses like I know my diamonds.” Him, Charles, Holt, Terry, Hitchcock and Scully are holding down the fort.

Well, Hitchcock and Scully are having a back hair competition.

Jake’s trying hard not to pay attention.

He’s ten minutes from quitting time when Terry calls for him. “Peralta! Boyle! We got intel there’s a Taxi dealer in the warehouse district by the Brooklyn Bridge. We need you to bring him in.”

Jake _almost_ whines, “SARGE!!! COME _ON_ ” but then remembers he is a Detective, and unfortunately, that’s more important than his proposal right now.

Charles looks over at Jake, distraught. Jake, knowing he has to be strong, just shrugs and takes off with Boyle, throwing on his jacket and getting the address from Terry, after making sure the ring is safe in his pocket.

+

The loading dock Terry sent them too looks vaguely familiar, and Jake thinks he sees movement on the roof of the adjacent building, so he pulls Boyle aside.

“I think I see someone up there,” Jake says. “Let’s head up.”

Thank god, someone left the door propped open so they climb up the walk-up. “I’ll clear the building, you got the roof. ‘Kay?” Charles asks.

Jake nods and they split up.

He flings the door open, weapon drawn.

There’s no one up there.

He keeps his weapon poised as he looks around. Distantly, on the other side of the roof, he sees a sign. He doesn’t have his glasses with him, so he walks over, making sure to stay vigilant.

In very familiar handwriting, he sees:

_Jake, it’s Amy. Put your safety on._

Swallowing the sudden metaphorical golf ball in his throat, he clicks his safety on and then holsters his weapon and things start to become very clear.

Taxi hasn’t been in their district in months.

Charles would’ve checked the roof with him.

And this roof is very familiar.

Slowly, he turns around.

Amy is standing behind him, wearing a familiar and very ugly bright blue dress. “Hi, Jake,” She says, her voice soft.

He doesn’t trust himself to speak, so he waves.

Amy smiles at him. “Do you remember this place?”

He nods, “Yeah.” His mouth is so dry.

“We had our first disaster of a date on this roof,” She says. “Right by the Brooklyn Bridge.”

He tears up a little, “But we _met_ on the Manhattan Bridge.”

She walks over and he sees she’s crying a bit too, her eyes shiny with unshed tears. “Jake... I love you. So much. We’ve been through so much, and all I want is to be married to you. Will you-”

Wobbly a bit in the heels, she lowers herself to kneel on one knee as she pulls out a velvet ring box from her jacket. “Jacob Elijah Peralta, will you marry me?”

“Yes. Yes, a thousands times yes,” He says and he moves so he’s kneeling right in front of her. “Can I- Can I ask too?”

She nods, the tears falling with a blinding smile on her face as he fumbles in his own pocket to pull out her ring. “Amy Santiago, will you marry me?”

“Yes,” She says and they pull each other close and kiss

Pulling apart for a moment, his pride forces him to speak up as they slide their rings onto each other’s fingers with shaking fingers, “Damn, I can’t believe you beat me to it, I had a _plan_. Hell, I had a binder and everything-”

“A binder?” She clarifies, and when he nods, she pulls him in for a deep, passionate kiss and his hands rove to her waist and they’re as close as they can be between all the layers of clothes.

But then someone says, “Hey! Keep it PG, we got kids here.”

Jake and Amy separate to see people piling onto the roof. Terry, Sharon, and their family with Charles, Genevieve and Nikolaj, Ray and Kev, Rosa and Adrian, Gina with a date on each arm, his mom, Amy’s parents and two of her local brothers, and even Hitchcock and Scully, all there clapping. Well, Charles is sobbing but it looks like happy tears.

“He said yes!” Amy says to the clapping, even though it’s hopefully implied.

They swing their hands up above their heads, clasped together, their beautiful rings shimmering in the terrible lighting of the roof.

+

“How in the world did you pull that off?” Jake asks, after flipping through his binder with her.

Amy is playing with her ring, smiling absently. “I had been planning for a while, but Terry accidentally let it slip that you were planning something too when I asked him for advice.”

“ _Terry_ is the weak link?” Jake asks, incredulous. “Did _not_ call that.”

Amy laughs. “Well, I kind of pressured him. You had been acting all weird, so I had guessed. So, when I got everyone on board with helping me, they all tried to do their best to subtly stall you while I planned everything on our rooftop.”

He pulls her onto his lap as he lounges on the sofa. “I’m so glad I’m marrying a planner,” He kisses her lips gently. But before they can deepen it, he says, “I just can’t believe you picked out your own engagement ring. I mean, I know you’re a planner, but c’mon, babe.”

Her eyebrows furrow, “Jake, I didn’t pick out this ring. Especially since I would have never been able to find something this beautiful.” She smiles at it, then at him.

He stammers, “You didn’t send me a package? From Dante Thunderstone? To throw me off?”

“No, not at all,” She says then holds up her pinkie. “Pinkie swear.”

He hooks pinkies with her, then snarls, staring off in the distance, “Damn Doug Judy-”

“Jake?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you wanna go have engagement sex?”

“Oh right. Yes, duh, absolutely. Lead the way, Ms. Santiago.”

“Will do, Mr. Santiago.”

“Oh come on, I’m not taking your name.”

“Well, I’m not taking yours.”

“Do I smell a bet?”

“No.”

“Oh come on, you stole my proposal from me!”

She leans up to kiss him again, her hands sliding their way around his neck to pull him close. “Why don’t you ask me tomorrow morning?”

“Yes, yep, good idea.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!!! hit me up @stardustsantiago on tumblr if you want to gush about how amazing Peraltiago is. I'd also like to thank: Dana, Emily, and Phil for all the ideas and all the other amazing Peraltiago proposal fics and headcanons on Tumblr.


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